Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Murray will represent himself as he contests involuntary manslaughter conviction for which he faces up to four years in state prison. By Kara Warner

Dr. Conrad Murray Photo: Pool/ Getty Images

<P>As expected, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jackson_michael/artist.jhtml">Michael Jackson</a>'s former doctor <a href="/news/articles/1673957/conrad-murray-appeal-verdict-michael-jackson.jhtml">Conrad Murray has filed an appeal</a> to challenge his involuntary manslaughter conviction. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:708788.id:1673923" width="240" height="211"></div><p> According to <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2011/12/02/conrad-murray-files-appeal-involuntary-manslaughter" target="_blank">TMZ</a>, Murray filed the petition in pro per, which means he has decided to forego hiring legal representation and represent himself. He reportedly listed "Men's Central Jail" and his booking number in the space on the appeal document where a lawyer would normally list a firm's name or contact information. TMZ also reported that although Murray seems to be without a lawyer, he is still in communication with Nareg Gourjian, one of the attorneys who represented him during his manslaughter trial. "This case presents a gold mine of issues for any appellate lawyer," Gourjian told TMZ. "Dr. Murray is confident that the Court of Appeal will vindicate him." Following the guilty verdict, Murray's lead defense lawyer Ed Chernoff told CNN, "What matters most right now is trying to keep Dr. Murray from taking up a prison cell in this community. That's what we're focusing on right now, and we'll deal with an appeal after that." <a href="/news/articles/1675062/conrad-murray-sentence.jhtml">Murray was sentenced to four years</a> in jail Tuesday, but due to overcrowding, he's unlikely to serve his full term. </p>

Murray will represent himself as he contests involuntary manslaughter conviction for which he faces up to four years in state prison. By Kara Warner

Dr. Conrad Murray Photo: Pool/ Getty Images

<P><P>As expected, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jackson_michael/artist.jhtml">Michael Jackson</a>'s former doctor <a href="/news/articles/1673957/conrad-murray-appeal-verdict-michael-jackson.jhtml">Conrad Murray has filed an appeal</a> to challenge his involuntary manslaughter conviction. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:708788.id:1673923" width="240" height="211"></div><p> According to <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2011/12/02/conrad-murray-files-appeal-involuntary-manslaughter" target="_blank">TMZ</a>, Murray filed the petition in pro per, which means he has decided to forego hiring legal representation and represent himself. He reportedly listed "Men's Central Jail" and his booking number in the space on the appeal document where a lawyer would normally list a firm's name or contact information. TMZ also reported that although Murray seems to be without a lawyer, he is still in communication with Nareg Gourjian, one of the attorneys who represented him during his manslaughter trial. "This case presents a gold mine of issues for any appellate lawyer," Gourjian told TMZ. "Dr. Murray is confident that the Court of Appeal will vindicate him." Following the guilty verdict, Murray's lead defense lawyer Ed Chernoff told CNN, "What matters most right now is trying to keep Dr. Murray from taking up a prison cell in this community. That's what we're focusing on right now, and we'll deal with an appeal after that." <a href="/news/articles/1675062/conrad-murray-sentence.jhtml">Murray was sentenced to four years</a> in jail Tuesday, but due to overcrowding, he's unlikely to serve his full term. </p></p>

Murray will represent himself as he contests involuntary manslaughter conviction for which he faces up to four years in state prison. By Kara Warner

Dr. Conrad Murray Photo: Pool/ Getty Images

<P>As expected, <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/jackson_michael/artist.jhtml">Michael Jackson</a>'s former doctor <a href="/news/articles/1673957/conrad-murray-appeal-verdict-michael-jackson.jhtml">Conrad Murray has filed an appeal</a> to challenge his involuntary manslaughter conviction. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:708788.id:1673923" width="240" height="211"></div><p> According to <a href="http://www.tmz.com/2011/12/02/conrad-murray-files-appeal-involuntary-manslaughter" target="_blank">TMZ</a>, Murray filed the petition in pro per, which means he has decided to forego hiring legal representation and represent himself. He reportedly listed "Men's Central Jail" and his booking number in the space on the appeal document where a lawyer would normally list a firm's name or contact information. TMZ also reported that although Murray seems to be without a lawyer, he is still in communication with Nareg Gourjian, one of the attorneys who represented him during his manslaughter trial. "This case presents a gold mine of issues for any appellate lawyer," Gourjian told TMZ. "Dr. Murray is confident that the Court of Appeal will vindicate him." Following the guilty verdict, Murray's lead defense lawyer Ed Chernoff told CNN, "What matters most right now is trying to keep Dr. Murray from taking up a prison cell in this community. That's what we're focusing on right now, and we'll deal with an appeal after that." <a href="/news/articles/1675062/conrad-murray-sentence.jhtml">Murray was sentenced to four years</a> in jail Tuesday, but due to overcrowding, he's unlikely to serve his full term. </p>

'He always wants there to be the soul in there,' Cruz tells MTV News about his 'Without You' collaborator. By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Matt Elias

Usher Photo: Todd Williamson/ WireImage

<P><P><a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/usher/artist.jhtml">Usher</a> is hard at work on his next album. Set to work with fellow hitmaker <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/cruz__taio/artist.jhtml">Taio Cruz</a>, the two already cooked up some magic with their <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/guetta_david/artist.jhtml">David Guetta</a> anthem <a href="/news/articles/1670301/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">"Without You,"</a> and it seems they are hoping to recapture that spirit for Usher's follow-up to 2010's <i>Raymond v. Raymond</i>. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:717257" width="240" height="211"></div><p> "I saw Usher a few times, but I spoke to him at length at David [Guetta]'s house when we were in Ibiza [Spain]," he told MTV News in L.A. after his Jingle Ball set. "He has very specific ideas of where he wants to go musically and sound-wise." Given that Usher has never shied away from exposing a bit of himself in his music, while also keeping the party going, Cruz wants to make sure they can connect the mind, body and soul for this next release. "He always wants there to be the soul in there," he explained. "I'm kind of, not the opposite, but I'm always like, 'Let's get straight to the point and be really clear with the message and be simple.' "So we try to match those two worlds together: being soulful and, at the same time, catchy," he added. Cruz can't yet discuss what they're working on: Besides "Without You," he said, "Everything else is secret." Usher said he was drawn to the <a href="/news/articles/1674782/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">Guetta hit</a> because he connected to it emotionally, explaining to MTV News recently what an important part that plays in his musical philosophy. "I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I've actually been on in the last three years," he said. "Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There's many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is." <div style="background-color:#000000;width:428px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:713197/cp~vid%3D713197%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A713197" width="420" height="236" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed></div></div></p></p>

Because it's never too early to start the wild speculation.By Kevin P. Sullivan

Martin Freeman in "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"Photo: James Fisher/ New Line Productions

Well, everyone, that's it for our 2012 Oscars coverage. It's been a great awards season. Can't wait to see you next year. ... ... ... Hello, everyone, and welcome to MTV News' 2013 Oscars coverage. It seems like just yesterday that "The Artist" won big and took home Best Picture, but who cares about that movie anymore? That's old news.

This year is sure to be a huge year at the movies, and the nominees for next year's Oscars are already lining up. MTV News has your first look at the likely nominees for the Academy Awards based on everything we know about the Oscars.

Best Supporting Actor A rare, wide-open race this late in the game, Best Supporting Actor nominations could go to any number of great actors who were not great enough to be considered for the lead. The one lock at this point has to be Christoph Waltz for his work in Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained." Waltz won an Academy Award for playing essentially the same character in "Inglourious Basterds," but this time he's a good guy. What could be bad about that?

Best Actress Here's a category already locked in a dead heat, with a wide variety of potential nominees vying for one of the five spots. The real shock here could be young Quvenzhané Wallis in "Beasts of the Southern Wild," who won over audiences at this year's Sundance Film Festival, and the Academy will jump at any opportunity to honor a child actor. Other potential nominees include Sandra Bullock in "Gravity," a largely solo performance from a previous winner, and Keira Knightley in "Anna Karenina" because it's Keira Knightley in a Joe Wright-directed costume drama. Also, either Charlize Theron or Noomi Rapace could earn nominations for "Prometheus," depending on whose face doesn't get eaten first.

Best Actor For Best Actor, expect to see a lot of familiar faces and perhaps one familiar face that actually belongs to someone else. I'm speaking, of course, about Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "Looper." It's unclear whether JGL will be in a more supporting role, but early reports peg his prosthetic-enhanced performance as a young Bruce Willis as a career-best. Also, the Academy loves an actor in makeup. You might see the rest of the category filled out with award favorites because they're award favorites, like Daniel Day-Lewis ("Lincoln"), Philip Seymour Hoffman ("The Master"), Brad Pitt ("Cogan's Trade"), and a second nomination for John Hawkes ("The Surrogate").

Best Picture The 2013 Best Picture category should shake out like filling out the cast of a heist movie. Everyone has a unique role to play. You have the musical ("Les Miserable") and the obligatory Tolkien nominee ("The Hobbit"). There's the populist Ben Affleck film ("Argo") and the critic-loved Ben Affleck film ("Untitled Terrence Malick Project'). Plus, you need a current affairs film ("Untitled International Thriller," formerly known as "Kill Bin Laden") and a movie everyone loved but will never win ("The Dark Knight Rises"). That should just about do it.

Ludacris attends MAGNUM Live Large project at Highline Ballroom on April 4, 2011 in New York City. Photo: Dave Kotinsky/ Getty Images

<P>Are you ready for another <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/ludacris/artist.jhtml">Ludacris</a> album? It's been two years since 'Cris dropped his last album, <i>Battle of the Sexes,</i> and the Atlanta MC estimates that his next one will hit stores this spring. "I get the beats together and I put out my ideas, so I'd say we're maybe about 40 percent done," the rapper told <a href="http://www.billboard.com/column/the-juice/ludacris-eyes-spring-ludaversal-release-1005831952.story#/column/the-juice/ludacris-eyes-spring-ludaversal-release-1005831952.story" target="_blank"><i>Billboard</i></a> of his upcoming eighth LP, <i>Ludaversal,</i> which he anticipates will be out around May with a first single dropping in March. Luda, who dropped his <a href="/news/articles/1674369/ludacris-1.21-gigawatts-mixtape.jhtml"><i>1.21 Gigawatts</i> mixtape</a> in November, also revealed one big-time guest on the LP. "<a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/usher/artist.jhtml">Usher</a> is one person that I've already worked with," he said. "In terms of other artists, you can say that there's going to be a lot of surprises on here." <center><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:711235/cp~id%3D1674412%26vid%3D711235%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A711235" width="460" height="260" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="."></embed></center> The pair already have a few collaborations under their belt. Who can forget Usher's inescapable smash "Yeah!" from his 2004 <i>Confessions</i> album? The two also hooked up on Lil Jon's "Lovers and Friends" in the same year and then again two years ago on Usher's "She Don't Know." As far as what the two have cooked up for <i>Ludaversal,</i> fans will just have to wait and see. Throughout his career, Luda has shown a ton of versatility. An undeniable hitmaker, at times the nimble-tongued lyricist has been comical (2001's "Area Codes" and 2004's "Number One Spot") and in other instances delivered healthy amounts of substance (2006's "Runaway Love" and 2008's "Do the Right Thing"). For <i>Ludaversal,</i> he will get a little personal. "It's been a minute since I've been away from music, and there is just so much to talk about," he said. "So [the album] is mostly about my personal life, my travels, my experiences, rumors, gossip &#8212; you know, everything coming together in one." <i>What are your expectations for Ludacris' new album? Tell us in the comments!</i></p>

'When you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is,' Usher tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena, with additional reporting by Jim Cantiello

Usher Photo: MTV News

<P>When <a href="/music/artist/usher/artist.jhtml">Usher</a> and <a href="/music/artist/guetta_david/artist.jhtml">David Guetta</a> hooked up for the French DJ's latest album, <i>Nothing but the Beat,</i> the two superstars created a chart-topping smash, <a href="/news/articles/1670301/usher-david-guetta-without-you.jhtml">"Without You,"</a> that combines Guetta's ear for house beats and Usher's ability to convey a range of emotions with his voice. It's a song that has really stuck with fans of all genres of music. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:713197" width="240" height="211"></div><p> The track &#8212; a swirling pop ode to not giving up on love in the face of adversity &#8212; struck Usher with its emotional core. "David Guetta is an amazing artist," he told MTV News last week at a <a href="/news/articles/1674705/justin-bieber-usher-advice.jhtml">Pencils of Promise charity event</a>. "We talked for many years about working together, and we found a record that was incredible." Usher said it was a song that resonated with him personally. "I think the world wanted a record like that. That [song] really spoke to the journey that I've actually been on in the last three years," he said. "Traveling all around the world, music sounds different. There's many different genres, and when you see R&B and pop and house, as well as electronic, come together, that's the reality of what music is." </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:688619" width="240" height="211"></div><p> When MTV News talked to Guetta on the <a href="/news/articles/1674728/ama-taylor-swift-nicki-minaj-katy-perry.jhtml">American Music Awards</a> red carpet Sunday, he said "Without You" is a standout track on the album. The LP dropped earlier this year and also includes <a href="/news/articles/1674756/american-music-awards-nicki-minaj-david-guetta.jhtml">Nicki Minaj, who performed with Guetta at the AMAs</a>. "It's one of my favorite songs," he said. "It's just, I'm a DJ, so I want to make people dance always, but I also want to give emotions. When it comes to that, 'Without You' is probably one of the most emotional songs that I've done, and yes, I'm very proud of that record." <i>What do you think about "Without You"? Share your reviews in the comments!</i></p>

Monday, February 27, 2012

Well, this certainly reaffirms one?s faith in humanity as an essentially decent and dignified species?the National Enquirer is now publishing picture?s of Whitney Houston?s corpse as it was seen at her funeral last weekend.� The past few weeks have seen fervent media coverage of Whitney Houston?s life and death, which is to be understood when [...]

Jeff Conaway, character actor Charles Napier and 'Batman' star Michael Gough among those left out of segment on Sunday's show. By Gil Kaufman

Jeff Conaway in "Grease"Photo: Paramount Pictures

Some people watch the Oscars to see the pretty dresses, look for potential nip slips, revel in the weepy acceptance speeches, root against the leading contenders and yes, a few even tuned in for host Billy Crystal's paint-by-numbers movie spoofs.

But then there are those of us who wait for the annual "In Memoriam" segment that pays tribute to those the movie world has last over the past year, eager to see who has been omitted. In the past two years, that list has included "Airplane!" star Peter Graves and "Lost Boys" actor Corey Haim. In 2010, some fans were outraged that former pin-up and "Charlie's Angels" star Farrah Fawcett (who appeared in films including "Logan's Run" and "Dr. T and the Women") was left out while singer Michael Jackson made the list.

Among the most notable was the classic character actor Charles Napier, who died in October at age 75. From the "Blues Brothers" to "Philadelphia," "Silence of the Lambs," "Rambo: First Blood II" and "The Cable Guy," Napier was the go-to guy for the craggy tough guy with a heart of gold, or steel.

Another star missing from the tribute was Bubba Smith. Though best-known earlier in life as an imposing defensive end who played in two Super Bowls during a nine-year NFL career, Smith reinvented himself in the late 1970s and 1980s as a comedic actor with roles in the six "Police Academy" films as Cadet Moses Hightower and in other comedies including "The Naked Truth" and "The Silence of the Hams." In addition, he posted a slew of TV appearances on series including "Good Times," "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" and "Family Matters."

His later years were marred by a deadly drug addiction, but actor Jeff Conaway earned his spot in Hollywood history by playing the swaggering Kenickie in the smash 1978 movie musical "Grease." He would never reach those heights again on the big screen, appearing in a string of B movies including "Almost Pregnant," "Alien Intruder," "Bikini Summer II" and "L.A. Goddess," but he made his mark again on TV as the lovable Bobby Wheeler in five seasons of the series "Taxi."

For lovers of the rebooted "Batman" big-screen franchise, the omission of character actor Michael Gough was a crime. The Englishman, who appeared in more than 150 movies, began his career in 1948 with a small role in "Anna Karenina" and worked consistently until his death last March at the age of 94, introducing himself to a new generation in 1989 in Tim Burton's "Batman" as unflappable butler Alfred Pennyworth. Gough would reprise the role three more times and end his career with a voice-over part in Burton's 2010 remake of "Alice in Wonderland."

In addition, after leaving her off last year following her death just weeks before the 83rd Oscars, the Academy once again passed over French actress Maria Schneider, who became famous for her career-making (and some say breaking) role as Marlon Brando's sexual obsession in 1972's "Last Tango in Paris." One bigger-than-life star the Academy also managed to miss was the buxom Z-movie superstar Tura Satana, who also passed away just weeks before last year's Oscars. The cult movie object of obsession appeared in Russ Meyer's classic 1965 jigglefest "Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill!" as well as such other drive-in fare as "The Astro-Zombies," "The Doll Squad" and Rob Zombie's 2009 "The Haunted World of El Superbeasto."

<P>Welcome to 2012, the year that will either bring us <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon" target="_blank">the end of civilization</a> as we know it or perhaps flying cars (finally!) Of course, between those two events, there's also going to be a presidential election, the London Olympics and that last "Twilight" movie (finally x 100!), not to mention a whole lot of activity within the lives of your favorite stars, too: Babies, weddings, honorary doctorates in nanotechnology; <i>this</i> is the year it'll all happen. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:722495.id:1672369" width="240" height="211"></div><p> Which is why, with the new year upon us, I've decided to get my <a href="http://www.amazingkreskin.com/" target="_blank">Kreskin</a> on with these predictions for 2012. Don't ask me to gaze deep into my crystal ball and try to foresee who'll win the White House or the World Series, because, seriously, if I knew that, don't you think I'd be wagering right now? Instead, I'm tackling the <i>important</i> topics. Here's my 2012 forecast for the Beyonc&#233;s and Britneys of the world ... partly cloudy, with a zero-percent chance of accuracy. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/knowles_beyonce/artist.jhtml">Beyonc&#233;</a> and <a href="/music/artist/jay_z/artist.jhtml">Jay-Z</a> will welcome a daughter, who, upon her, uh, <i>release,</i> will also release her debut single, "Run the World (Me)." &#187; <a href="/music/artist/adele/artist.jhtml">Adele</a> will win every single Grammy, including a stunning upset of <i>Eres Un Farsante</i> in the Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album category. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/spears_britney/artist.jhtml">Britney Spears</a> and Jason Trawick will tie the knot in an elaborate, multi-denominational ceremony held &#8212; eh, I don't even care enough to finish this one. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/perry_katy/artist.jhtml">Katy Perry</a>, having finally run out of singles to release off <i>Teenage Dream,</i> will spend the entirety of 2012 shooting videos for objects around her house. Her hits will include "Toaster," "KitchenAid Tilt-Head Stand Mixer" and "This Towel Set Someone Gave Russell and I for Our Wedding That We Keep in the Guest Bathroom." &#187; <a href="/music/artist/dr_dre/artist.jhtml">Dr. Dre</a> will indefinitely scrap <i>Detox</i> and instead drop a more age-appropriate album called <i>The Chronic Arthritis.</i> &#187; <a href="/music/artist/lady_gaga/artist.jhtml">Lady Gaga</a> will wear a crazy hat or something. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/rihanna/artist.jhtml">Rihanna</a> will release six albums in 2012, each more raunchy than the last. Titles include <i>Speculum,</i> <i>[Censored] [Censored] On My [Censored],</i> and <i>Songs About F---ing,</i> which, oddly, will be a note-for-note remake of Big Black's <i>Songs About F---ing.</i> &#187; Dave Grohl is sure to do something awesome. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/drake/artist.jhtml">Drake</a>'s sweater game will become so advanced that he will surpass Bill Cosby as the world's foremost expert on multi-hued knitwear. On a related note, he will also release a comedy album called <i>To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With.</i> &#187; <a href="/music/artist/minaj__nicki/artist.jhtml">Nicki Minaj</a> will stun the fashionistas when she appears at the annual Met Ball wearing a nice pantsuit she bought at Bealls. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/bieber_justin/artist.jhtml">Justin Bieber</a> will finally get that bike without the training wheels, since he's a big boy now. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/black_keys/artist.jhtml">The Black Keys</a>, buoyed by the success of their <a href="http://www.mtv.com/videos/the-black-keys/706819/lonely-boy.jhtml">"Lonely Boy" video</a>, will shoot another dance-only clip for "Gold on the Ceiling," this one set at Gallagher's 2000 and featuring nothing but topless women. Surprisingly, it will become the most-viewed music video in the history of everything. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/lil_wayne/artist.jhtml">Lil Wayne</a> will come full circle, get a tattoo <i>of</i> his face <i>on</i> his face. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/guns_n_roses/artist.jhtml">Guns N' Roses</a> will reunite at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in April, only with that dude who plays a guitar shaped like a foot filling in for Slash and Tommy Stinson replacing Duff on bass. So, actually, it won't be Guns N' Roses at all. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/coldplay/artist.jhtml">Coldplay</a>'s Chris Martin is just going to be fingerpainting everything. &#187; <a href="/music/artist/ross__rick__rap_/artist.jhtml">Rick Ross</a> will be named the Memphis Restaurant Association's Restaurateur of the Year for his tremendous achievements in <a href="http://newsroom.mtv.com/2011/08/05/rick-ross-wingstop">Wingstop-ery.</a> &#187; <a href="/music/artist/west_kanye/artist.jhtml">Kanye West</a> will <i>literally</i> explode. &#187; Fans of <a href="/music/artist/skrillex/artist.jhtml">Skrillex</a> will stop and realize that, in 1997, EDM was poised take over America too, and we ended up with Limp Bizkit as a result.</p>

<P>Britney Spears spent the weekend celebrating her <a href="/news/articles/1676120/britney-spears-is-engaged.jhtml">engagement to Jason Trawick</a> in Las Vegas with friends and family. On Friday, hours after the news of their impending marriage was confirmed, the singer took to her Facebook page to make it official, changing her <a href="https://www.facebook.com/britney" target="_blank">relationship status</a> to "engaged." </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:720382" width="240" height="211"></div><p> She also shared with her fans on Twitter just how excited she is to be tying the knot with longtime boyfriend Trawick. "Still glowing!" she <a href="http://twitter.com/britneyspears" target="_blank">wrote</a>. "About to jump on a plane to Planet Hollywood in Vegas. Throwing a Bday Party for Jason at Chateau Night Club. So fun. Xxoo. And celebrate they did. <a href="http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20554744,00.html" target="_blank">People.com</a> reported that the couple and her two sons checked into Planet Hollywood before making their first public appearance since the news broke. Spears rocked not only a body-hugging Herv&#233; L&#233;ger bandage dress, but also her Neil Lane engagement ring. The couple shared dinner and dancing at two Sin City hotspots, Sugar Factory's Chocolate Lounge and Paris' Chateau Nightclub. "Tonight was one of the most magical nights of my life," she later wrote on Twitter. "Such an amazing time with my new fiance and our closest friends and family. #Blessed" While Spears was celebrating, her ex-husband Kevin Federline sent out his well-wishes. "I'm really happy for her &#8212; I think he's a great guy," he told <a href="http://tvweek.ninemsn.com.au/blog.aspx?blogentryid=963715&showcomments=true" target="_blank"><i>TV Week</i> magazine</a> while filming the reality show "Excess Baggage" in Australia. "She's happy; she's doing really well. I want to say she's in a good place. I haven't spoken to her much since I've been over here, both of us have been busy with her being on tour, but I do know from talking to the kids and talking to the kids' teachers that they're doing really good. It's a good step in the right direction. I'm totally happy for her." And Federline doesn't seem to have any hard feelings toward Trawick. "He's a really good guy, I've heard a lot about him," he added. "I've spoken to him quite a few times as of now. He seems like a really good guy. The kids speak highly of him [and] her family loves him." <div style="background-color:#000000;width:428px;"><div style="padding:4px;"><embed src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:uma:video:mtv.com:702567/cp~id%3D1672881%26vid%3D702567%26uri%3Dmgid%3Auma%3Avideo%3Amtv.com%3A702567" width="420" height="236" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" base="." flashVars=""></embed></div></div> <i>Share your well-wishes for Britney and Jason in the comments!</i></p>

There might not have been performances by the 2012 Oscars' two Best Original Song nominees Sunday night (February 26), but the Cirque du Soleil troupe behind "Iris" stepped up in the performance department.

The group performed a high-flying acrobatics show that paid homage to the decades of films that have been honored by the Academy Awards. Even though the Cirque show seemingly was placed in the ceremony's lineup in place of the musical performances, that didn't mean the Muppets didn't get their time to shine. Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy presented the "Iris" troupe, but not before they got in one dig about their film not being nominated in more than just the song category. "It's about time Spielberg leaves some for the rest of us!" Miss Piggy lamented. Unfortunately, her comment wasn't followed by a shot of Spielberg's face.

Cirque performed its acrobatic routine against a backdrop of beloved films like "North by Northwest," "Titanic," "Spider-Man" and "Gone with the Wind." Cameras showed George Clooney and Stacy Keibler being enthralled by the show, an homage to the joy of cinema, keeping with the theme of many of the year's nominees, including "The Artist" and "Hugo."

After the performance, host Billy Crystal returned to the stage to express how impressed he was. "Wow, I pulled a hamstring just watching that," he said. "We're a pony away from being a bat mitzvah."

In addition to hosting the Oscars, the former Kodak Theatre — now being referred to simply as the Hollywood & Highland Center — is home to "Iris" six days a week.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Because he?s a talented singer, dancer and performer who only occasionally will violently and repetitively punch his girlfriend in the face, viciously bite her neck and ear, and then slam her face over and over again against a car door, then destroy a green room when an interviewer has the audacity to ask him about, [...]

In 2011, 21 moved more than 5.6 million copies in the U.S. By Gil Kaufman

Adele Photo: Getty Images

<P>The music industry has been stuck in a rut for nearly a decade. But every once in a while, it still manages to produce one of those unstoppable hit albums that give everyone that good old feeling. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:604336" width="240" height="211"></div><p> This year's model is <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/adele/artist.jhtml">Adele</a>'s <I>21</I>, which not only sold more copies than any other album in the U.S. in 2011 (more than 5.6 million to date), but which has also moved the most units of any artist since 2004. According to a <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/27/us-adele-idUSTRE7BQ10V20111227" target="_blank"><I>Reuters</I> report</a>, those gaudy figures (which top 15 million worldwide) make the British songbird the first artist to cross the 5 million mark in one year since Usher did it with his fourth studio album, <I>Confessions</I>, which sold 7.9 million units more than seven years ago. And to think she did it by releasing just two mega singles, <a href="/news/articles/1675976/adele-rolling-in-the-deep-best-song-2011.jhtml">"Rolling in the Deep"</a> and "Someone Like You," and barely touring North America due to <a href="/news/articles/1674453/adele-throat-surgery-recovery.jhtml">recurring vocal issues.</a>&#8232; There have been other big hits along the way to Adele's mark, including Eminem selling more than 3.4 million copies of his comeback <I>Recovery</I> album last year and Taylor Swift taking the honors in 2009 with <I>Fearless</I>, which sold 3.2 million copies. But none have come as close to Usher's mark in the interim. There doesn't seem to be any chance Adele will be surpassed by the end of the year: The closest contenders are Lady Gaga's <I>Born This Way</I> (2.08 million) and Michael Bubl&#233;'s <I>Christmas</I> (2.4 million). The other good news is that overall music sales are expected to be up slightly (3 percent) by the end of this year, marking the first time that's happened since 2004.</p>

The duo sat down with MTV News in Berlin to discuss a pair of unlikely collaborations. By James Montgomery

Black Keys Photo: MTV News

<P>Theirs is a relationship that has spanned time and Twitter, <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/keshasuxx/status/77286418598211584" target="_blank">seafood</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/keshasuxx/status/157523381602889728" target="_blank">shaving</a>, but over the years, the unlikely bond between the <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/black_keys/artist.jhtml">Black Keys</a> and <a href="http://www.mtv.com/music/artist/id_3213641/artist.jhtml">Ke$ha</a> has grown to become something <i>more</i>: a genuine friendship, marked with the occasional trespassing charge. </p><div class="player-placeholder right" id="vid:731631.id:1678505" width="240" height="211"></div><p> "We're friends with her, we've known her since way before she was famous, before she was even a singer, I guess," Keys drummer Patrick Carney told MTV News. "When she was 16 years old, she used to sneak into our shows. We kind of became friends with her by kicking her out of our backstage room, over and over again. She actually has snuck into shows in L.A., San Diego, Coachella ..." "She snuck in and [got] kicked out of one show, like, <i>five</i> times," frontman Dan Auerbach added. "[She] snuck in through the kitchen. I don't know if she's such a big fan; she just likes breaking the rules." So, when MTV News sat down with the 'Keys in Berlin during the premiere of their <a href="/news/articles/1678662/black-keys-gold-on-the-ceiling-music-video.jhtml">"Gold on the Ceiling"</a> video, we had to ask if their friendship with Ke$ha would take the next step: an actual musical collaboration. It's not all that far-fetched, considering both Ke$h and Auerbach live in Nashville ("I see her every once in a while flying by in her T-Top [convertible]," Auerbach laughed), and recently, the glittery one has logged studio time with <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/keshasuxx/status/160846424609787906" target="_blank">the Flaming Lips</a>. So, could we see a team-up on the next Black Keys album? "I guess, I don't know," Carney said. "We don't really do that many collaborations, really." OK, so if a Ke$ha collabo isn't in the cards, just who would the 'Keys like to work with next? Well, as it turns out, they've got their eyes set on landing a very big star for the next record ... even if they mistakenly believe he's deceased. "We both want to work with Jim Nabors very badly, but apparently he's not with us anymore," Carney said. Oh, <a href="http://www.jimnabors.com/" target="_blank">but he is.</a> Which means that, much like Nabors, the dream is alive. The Ke$ha collabo? Eh, probably not so much. <i>Should the Black Keys hit the studio with Ke$ha? Leave your comment below!</i></p>